Royal Marines Band Service

[Jonathan Saunders]

There were 143 Royal Marine Bandsmen killed during WW1. Most certainly the majority of these were lost at sea and have no known grave - I assume Jutland was the most devasting day for the Bandys.

Does anyone know how many RMB have graves as opposed to being commemorated on an appropriate Memorial (ie. Chatham, Portsmouth, Plymouth, Helles etc).

Thanks in advance for any help you can provide.

Kind regards,

Jonathan S

[michaeldr]

Jonathan,

Not a direct answer to your question

but nevertheless perhaps a useful reminder

 

see post # 4: 'In Memory of the one hundred and forty-three WOs, NCOs and men of the RM Band Service who lost their lives in the Great War, 1914-1918, whilst serving in the following ships and theatres of war: HMS Bulwark; HMS Monmouth; HMS Inflexible; HMS Lion; HMS Natal; HMS Invincible; HMS Indefatigable; HMS Queen Mary; HMS Cornwallis; HMS Vanguard; HMS Glory; HMS Monarch; HMS Carnarvon; HMS Caesar; HMS Princess Royal; HMS Britannia; HMS Conqueror; Drake Battn, RND Gallipoli; West African Frontier Force. Presented by voluntary subscriptions from their comrades'.

Good luck

Michael

[horatio2]

The question is complicated by the fact that RM musicians (including buglers) could have either Divisional or RMB (RN School of Music) prefixes to their register numbers.

However, a quick skim through the cemetry listings in "With Full and Grateful Hearts" (a book with many errors) reveals that about 20 RM musicians (not including buglers) rest in cemeteries in UK and Eire and another six in cemteries abroad. Including buglers, I would doubt that the total in cemeteries is much more than thirty.

[Jonathan Saunders]

Thanks for your time and answers.

I have just received an email offline and the total is 24 from 143 that had an RMB number prefix.

Thanks and regards,

Jonathan S